The Nephews
by Roaniegal
Summary: From their birth to their teens, Donald is tasked with raising three rambunctious boys mostly on his own, dealing with the problems his sister didn't want to. Join them in their journey!
1. Chapter 1

February 10th, 1983

"Aww, Donald, they're adorable! What're you going to do with them, though?"

Donald paused, sighing as Daisy kept cooing over two of the three boys in his house. "I don't know, Daisy…I guess until Danica is found, I don't have much choice…I can't let them take these boys…"

"Take them?! Wha…what do you mean, take them?"

Donald's mind went to only three days ago, when he had been getting ready for a date with Daisy, and the telephone had rung…

 _"Donald Duck residence, who is calling?"_

 _"Mister Duck? Yes, my name is Carrie McDowell, and I run the Pediatric and Natal Unit of Duckberg Medical…we are calling to contact you about three little boys in our care currently. I understand, from our records, you have a sister; Della, is it?"_

 _"Danica. What's wrong? Is she…is she in trouble or something?" It had been years since he had seen or spoken to his rebellious and addict of a sister, but blood was still blood. He would do anything for her._

 _"Well, Sir, I don't know how to answer that…we don't know anything about her. However, we were calling to confirm your tie with her. Would you know her whereabouts?"_

 _"I haven't seen her for years now…look, I've got some important things to do, so if you would kindly tell me why you're looking for her, I would appreciate it." His rougher tone made it clear this wasn't a question, and over the line the phone crackled loudly, a result of the small snowstorm in Montana in early February._

 _"This morning she left a note and a large basket at the steps of this hospital…the basket contained three ducklings, all boys. Her sons, Sir. And as Duckberg Medical only has a Safe Haven policy in place six hours after a birth, she has broken the law…she left a note with your phone number saying to call you and you would make it all right…I'm simply following my superior's orders, Sir. We need somebody to contact, and to relinquish rights of the triplets."_

 _But Donald's head was spinning. Triplets? His baby sister had had kids?_ _ **Oh, Danica**_ _…was the only thought his mind could echo as he tried to figure out why she would have been so foolish…of course, with her track record there was a good chance she didn't remember their conception, much less their father or have a way to provide for them. His jaw stayed hanging open, and he stuttered, eyes widening as he tried to not have a heart attack right there._

 _"I…I…I…What do you mean, relinquish rights?"_

 _"Well, Sir, until she can be found -and properly charged to the fullest extent of the law- we have to do something with these three kids. We can't leave them here. As her only family, you're the one who has to either take them in, or sign papers saying that the State can take care of them in their mothers' absence. Tin her letter, Miss Duck states the boys were born on February the Fifth, and so should easily find a new home, being young and still within the wanted market for newborns…"_

 _Donald glanced to his calendar which marked today as February the seventh, and he could only assume it took Danica that long to process everything and then to decide what to do after a likely panic attack. "You would…what? Foster them, adopt them out? And what do you mean, Danica would be in legal trouble…but why? She put them in a good place today…at a place they could be taken care of."_

 _"Mister Duck, she still broke the law. According to the law, she abandoned them…I do not control the law. I know it is unfair…I am sorry."_

 _Donald sagged against the wall, and sighed heavily, running his wings through his head feathers. "How…are they? Are her kids well?"_

 _Silence over the end, then: "We found multiple drug traces in their blood stream, so we want to keep them until tomorrow evening to make certain the toxins are out of their systems. Other than that, they each weigh in at four pounds, seven ounces, and seven and a half inches long. A touch under-developed, but not nearly as bad as it could have been, considering the presumable circumstances."_

 _Donald nodded, a rush of anger and numbness washing over him. That dumbella! She could have killed those kids with all the drugs…he only hoped she had slacked off at least a bit while pregnant. But she had been an addict since she was fourteen, and the male duck had to admit that it was unlikely she had slowed down or even really recognized what pregnancy really was at this point, if she was as bad as she had been during their last meeting…_

 _The duck was no fool, and realized that with her record, even if she showed up this very instant, it was unlikely she would ever see those boys again, much less regain custody and be capable of caring for them. And even if she became clean, it would be years before she would be legally allowed to have those three again, though it could take years to find her, let alone prosecute her._

 _"Alright. I'll be there in…in a couple days. Tomorrow. Yes, I…will be there tomorrow."_

 _Only minutes after obtaining the address of the hospital, his doorbell rang, and Donald stumbled towards it, knowing it was likely Daisy. His mind stayed on the subject of his three nephews throughout their date, and into the night._

"Oh, Donald! I wish I could make it better for you. Maybe they'll find her soon…"

His troubled eyes met his high school sweetheart's gaze and he went back to rocking the third triplet, who was sound asleep. "Even if she barged in right now…it would be a decade or more until she could care for these three. For right now, I'm going to raise them. I'm steady enough with income, and it could be a trial run for our own kids one day…"

Daisy blushed at his words, but her mind went back to his other words, her brow creasing. She and Donald had been a couple since they were sixteen, and though she knew he and his sister were estranged for good reasons, she didn't realize things were that bad.

"What happened between you and Danica? You were close as kids, right? Your mom always went to that kiddie picture of the two of you at the beach…"

Donald smiled, his eyes misting as he traded babies with her. "Yeah, we were close…but when she was fourteen, she got into the wrong crowd at school and none of us could get her away…drugs had claimed her, Daisy. After Mom and Dad died, it got worse…then, she left…and you know the rest. I would do anything to turn back the clock, but I can't. Speaking of which, my dear, it's getting late…and you have work tomorrow."

"So do you, Donald." She smiled at him though, carefully placing the infant she held in the basket Donald had brought him home in.

"Well, yes, but there's things to do that likely mean me being off. I practically own that store, but you…well, you can't afford to take more time off. I'm just looking out for you, sweetheart."

She grinned to him, giving him a long slow kiss as he stood from putting down the two other ducklings, her arms wrapping around his neck as she lengthened the kiss. He leaned in to her affections, encasing her in a hug. Warmth and love lit the air around them, an at long last she pulled away, her cheeks heated.

"Well…goodnight, Donald."

"Night, Daisy."

She turned to leave, hoping for one last kiss as she stood on his porch, but she could see he had already turned around to tend to his nephews and she smiled, unable to help but feel as though she was being replaced.

 _You'll be a good daddy one day, Donald…_ and she left, flinching against the chill of the night.


	2. Chapter 2

Back inside, Donald barely registered that she had left, as the three boys began crying at once. Sighing, he picked up one of the three kids and felt a smile burn its way onto his face, as he absent-mindedly grabbed for a bottle of formula that he had had Daisy pick up before coming over that evening. Looking to the ID bracelet the hospital had placed on the kid, his eyebrows rose.

"Hubert Nikolai Duck…ick. How's bout…Huey? Hmm? Is that better, bud? Huh, is that better? Well, buddy…are you hungwy, Huey? Hmm, is the widdle duckie hungrie? Well, here's your ba-ba! Yes, what a good boy you are, oh yes, you are. That-a boy, Huey!"

His coos calmed the infant who sucked hungrily on the bottle, and when he was done, the dark eyes searched Donald's face, and his fingers closed around a few feathers, plucking them out. Donald flinched involuntarily and then smiled, putting Huey down in the basket. Picking up another duckling, his eyes went again to the bracelet, and he groaned in aggravation.

"Deweyce Julio Duck…Son, what in the HELL was your mamma on when she named you? Great god, what a name! I am not saying that name any time I need you, so what about…Dewey? Yeah, much better. Come're, you! You wanna snuggle with a ba-ba wif Unca Donald, eh? Hmm? Here you go, buddy. Yeaah, you was hun-hung, wasn't yous? Awww, little cutie."

A grin stretched Donald's face once more, and he felt warmth fluttering in his chest as he held his second-born nephew. He couldn't understand how his sister could have given them up. It broke his heart to think that was truly her only option. As Dewey finished with the bottle, Donald carefully put the baby down, mindful of his head. Next, he turned to the third child, almost not wanting to look at the ID.

"Louis-Albert Kenneth Duck…well, my boy, at least you got your granddaddy's name…Louie…that's what I'll call you, oh yes. Here's your brothers, Huey and Dewey. See, Louie? There now, you hungry? Come on, eat for Unca Donal'… I got you, yeah, I've got you. It's alright, buddy. Shh, it's alright."

He covered each boy with a small blanket as they nodded off to sleep, and tiptoed away. Each of them in a dresser drawer, he sighed as he began climbing the stairs. He had nothing else to put them in, and would need to go shopping tomorrow.

Jumping under his warm covers, he sighed and turned to stare at the ceiling. _Oh, Danica…_ Not for the first time, his thoughts drifted to the sister he loved, and he blinked back tears. Things had gone so wrong when she entered high school…

"Danica! What are you doing?!"

Donald's shout caused Danica to jerk, and her wide eyes looked terrified, white pills in her hand. "Uh…uh…just taking some pills. Relax, big brother. It's fine."

"What are they? They look like…like amphetamines. Danica…don't tell me you're that stupid. You're too young to get mixed up in that shit."

"Oh, gimmie a break, you're such a goody-two-shoes. They're just to help me on that mid-term. I don't use them for anything else…honest, I don't. I…I haven't had time to study, and you know how Daddy is. If I flunk this…"

Donald paused. He knew, indeed. Anything lower than A's came with strict reprimanding and stripped away privileges. Danica had never been a good student, despite not being overly social. However, the last few months she'd began branching out, having more friends over. Was this the trade for her anti-social self being over? Donald didn't really want to know. Biting his bill, Donald nodded and sighed.

"Just don't let me see it again. I'm your older brother and I care about ya. Okay?"

"Mmkay, D. I'm off, see you later."

She pranced down the stairs, and Donald just stared after her. His silence…oh, he hoped he made the right decision…

Weeks passed, and she seemed to be fine, albeit a touch jumpy and paranoid. One Friday night, with their folks gone to some military gala or the like, Donald walked past her room to hear gasps and giggling. Raising a brow, he went to knock and stopped, trying to figure out whether to invade her privacy or not. A shrill cry from the other side of the door made his mind up for him. Throwing open the door, he averted his eyes at once the second his mind registered the scene before him.

"D…Donald!"

Danica jolted up, reaching to cover her breasts as a guy Donald didn't ever seen before dove under the covers.

"G…Get out of my room, Donald!"

"Oh, I'll get out alright!" Fueled by brotherly rage and a desire to protect, Donald lunged for the young man, grabbing a man he recognized as the high school football star quarterback. "What the hell are you doing with my sister?!" He hissed, the anger seeping from his voice. Drawing his hand back, he slung and knocked Jake McBannister to the floor, pushing up his shirt sleeves and then lifted him off the floor and into the wall, gripping the football player's neck. "Get the hell out of my house! If you want to be able to walk and score any more plays, you'll stay away from her, understand? Get out!"

Jake nodded numbly, staggering towards the door as he tried to jerk on his shirt and shoes. Donald watched him go and then turned to a crying and furious Danica, but his patience was shot.

"How...how could you…? We were…we were making love! You had no right, no right! How DARE you!"

"How dare I? How dare I?! Danica, you idiot! He's a known playboy! He was using you! Is he who you're getting your stash from, huh? No, this is it. I am sick of you doing this. Why you have to shame Mom and Dad, I don't know! But it stops tonight, got it? When they hear of this…"

"No! Donald, please…please don't. Don't tell. Donald, please!" She jerked forward naked, grabbing his arm and begging with her eyes as tears rolled down. He cast his eyes aside, shaking his head and sighing.

"I'm doing my job…what is right. I'm supposed to protect you. Part of that…is telling them."

"Telling us what, Donald, Boy?"

Donald froze, and turned to his father who stood in full uniform, arms crossed. "D…Dad. You weren't supposed to be home for a few more hours."

"Your mother got sick, we had to leave. Danica…why are you naked? Get dressed and then get downstairs. I saw a half-dressed boy rushing out as we came in…you've got some explaining to do. Donald, come with me, Son."

Donald flinched as he saw the look of betrayal in his sister's eyes as he padded after Louis, looking his mother in the eye as he hit the landing.

"Mother, I—"

"Donald, I am proud of you. You were going to tell us even though she didn't want you to. We're proud of you, Son. You know…you were so easy. You never needed much care as a duckling. She has to be constantly coddled, even now, it seems. You were so obedient, but we've always had to watch her every move. Somehow we lucked out with you and you've taken our place as your father's career took off, and I thank you for that. She's getting out of control, and I don't know how to stop it…"

"It isn't your fault, Mother."

"How…How did you know what I was thinking?"

" _Mutter_ …I can see it clearly on your face."

She gasped at his using their special word, smiling through tears that ran down her cheeks as she grasped his face. "You are good son, you know that, right?"

"I know you think so. Mutter, Dad, it isn't your faults. I…I know she started branching out and being more social, but I don't think it's a good thing. I…I told her I wouldn't tell, but I found her with drugs a while back. She said it was only the one time, for mid-terms…and I was stupid enough to believe her. I am sorry."

"Not half as sorry as that young man was as he tore through your mother's gardenia's, I would wager. That boy was practically a blur." The deep chuckle accompanying his father's offhand statement caused Donald to blink at the indifference in his voice.

"S…Sir?"

"I saw his bloody bill, Donald. You got him good. Who was he?"

"Oh…he was a quarterback. I warned him to stay away. I think he's the one Danica's getting her stash from, but I can't be sure."

"Donald…you're our pride and joy. I suspected she was sneaking around behind our backs, but didn't want to say anything. There isn't much we can do anyhow…I doubt any punishment we put on her would be heeded. We have to go out of town next week, for ten days, would you be willing to handle her? Or should we send her to Uncle Scrooge?"

"Sure, no prob, Dad."

"Do not leave me with him! I…I'll never forgive you! Never!"

The trio glanced up to see Danica hugging herself in a purple sweater, eyes filled with tears. She turned and ran out into the night without another word, and as Donald got up, their father stopped him, shaking his head.

"Let her go. She's fourteen, and if she wants to act like that, she will come back when she's ready. I give her until tomorrow morning."

At school three days later, Daisy took Donald's hand, patting it reassuringly. "She still hasn't come back?"

"No…and Momma's been crying nonstop. Dad's acting like he's not worried, but he is. I can tell. They leave in two days…I hope she's back by then."

"I guess our movie night this weekend gets canceled, eh?"

"I'm sorry Daisy. But she...she has to come first and I just…"

"Hey, it's okay. I understand. Donald, she's your little sister. I know there's something up with her you aren't telling me, and that's okay. I don't need to know everything. Just know I'm here for you any time you want to talk. And I admire you for being there for her so much. It's amazing to see you taking charge like that."

"Mmm…if you say so, Daisy."

Days passed without any sign of the youngest Duck member, and as Donald waved his parents' goodbye on Thursday, he tried to deny how afraid he was for his sister. Settling down in a nearby armchair, he propped his feet in front of the fire, grabbed a book and prepared to spend his weekend alone. Hours passed, and as the clock chimed nine he got up, preparing to fix something for dinner, when the door banged open.

"D…Danica!"

He rushed to her, noticing how dirty and ragged she looked. Had she eaten in the last six days? The dark circles in her eyes said she hadn't slept much. At least that gave him comfort, to know she wasn't out partying. However, when he touched her, she screamed and swung at him. Thinking fast, he hit the floor, gazing up at his sister in shock.

"What the—! "

And then he saw it. Her eyes. They were glazed over, and darted around like she was expecting an attack.

"What the hell are you on? Danica, what did you take? Danica! Snap out of it and answer me!" He stepped towards her, eliciting another screech and swing from her. He grabbed her arms, holding them down and growling, throwing her to the ground as his patience and relief of seeing her disappeared.

"DANICA! Get a hold of yourself! Quit that, now!"

Danica whimpered, scrunching up into a small ball, but screamed when Donald tried to come closer. Her eyes were wild, and Donald was terrified as she jerked and tried to get up but couldn't. It passed his mind to call an ambulance but he shook his head, carefully locking the door and then turning to Danica, who still looked like a wild animal.

"Come on, Danica. You're going upstairs with me." Grabbing her, he tried not to be rougher than he had to be as she bit and fought him as he practically dragged her up the stairs. At last he got to her room, and flung her on the bed, rushing to the door and locking it from the inside. In her state, he doubted she would be able to figure out how to unlock the door. Sure enough, a loud bang came from the other side and she screamed in rage, illegible words flying across the barrier. Donald shook his head and went for the phone down in the kitchen.

"Dad…I'm sorry to call you at such a late hour, but— "

"It's fine Donald. Did she…did she come home?"

"Yes Sir, she did. She's…she's on something, God knows what, but she's wild. I'm glad you aren't home to see this. Anyways, you and Mom get some sleep and I'll see you when you return on Monday."

The next morning, Donald awoke to a soft tapping on his door. Rolling over as his door opened, he saw his sister standing there trembling, looking upset. She tightened her robe and kept her eyes to the floor, shuffling in.

"Donald…I'm sorry for last night. How bad was it? I remember coming home but…not much else."

Donald sighed, "You were wild. What were you on? You kept biting and scratching…it was pretty awful."

"Did I…Did I hurt you?" Her eyes went to the long red scratches on his skin and she shook harder, trying to keep composure.

"Oh, Danica. You didn't know what you were doing, it's fine. Well, it isn't fine, but you know what I mean. You're forgiven…but, Danica…I think you need help. You're barely fifteen…at this rate, you'll end up pregnant or dead, and I'm not sure which one would be worse. Danica, you can't keep doing this to Mom and Pops. They love you, I love you. What in God's name is so great about these drugs, these damn drugs, that take you away from us and into something better?"

Danica was quiet for a long time, and finally she sunk to the floor, tears rolling. "I…I feel wanted finally! I feel happy, and capable, and for the first time, I feel like I'm not just your little sister."

"What did you just say?!" Donald was too shocked, too hurt, to be angry. She glared at him then, jumping to her feet as her voice screamed, cracking every few words.

"Yes, you heard! YOUR little sister. All my life, I've heard how good your grades are, how good a boy you are in school, and easy you are to raise…and how I am nothing like you. Everybody was glad to see you in class, and at home, and in their friend circles. But me? Teachers grimaced to see me, knowing I'm the idiot sister of their old Class Star. The entire school joked at how Big Brother Donald, Class President and Hall Monitor Extraordinaire, had such a dumb fool sister. You think you're the only one to call me Dumbella? No! Hell, you're the only one who calls me Danica nowadays. All the boys just saw me as your little sister who wasn't good for much till I started this stuff. They like me now! And I'm not trading that for anything! You all just want me to be miserable! You won't ruin it for me."

Donald was up, in mere boxers and grabbing a shirt as he tried to not blow up. "We are looking out for you! That's IT! The boys don't like you, they're interested in you; and not in a good way. As soon as they screw you, they'll leave you. By God, are you that ignorant? So you aren't like me, that isn't so bad! Be you own person…Mom and Pops love you no matter what!"

"They don't! They love you more. If you had run out like I did, do you think they'd have let you go? You wouldn't have made it past the third step before they fell over themselves apologizing, whether they were in the right or not. They would have gone out every night searching for you, going around to your favorite hangouts and calling your friends and…"

"Danica! They did! That's my point. They did do that. When you weren't home by morning, Dad searched and searched and searched for you. You know why we didn't find you? Because everything we knew about you was before these drugs! You became so different that when Father went around to your friends' houses they told us they hadn't seen you in months. Cassie told us you hung with that low no-account Johnson boy, but when Father went to their house, they said they hadn't seen you. You can't expect us to find you, when we don't even know where to begin to look!" Her face flashed with guilt, but before they could continue their conversation, the doorbell rang. Donald irritated glared in the direction on outward-facing window, and went to the bathroom, swiftly tugging on a shirt.

"We aren't done here, Danica."


End file.
